Beyond Morning Sickness: Battling Hyperemesis Gravidarum

I read this book after my second HG pregnancy ended in loss and I was struggling to make sense of what had happened physically and psychologically. Here are the pros and cons:Pros:-Accurately describes the physical and emotional nightmare that is HG. I felt validated as I read other women's descriptions of HG that coincided with my experiences, like watching the clock tick away the endless minutes/hours/days/weeks/months because I was too sick to do anything else.-Helps others recognize that HG is NOT morning sickness and they really have no idea what it's like unless they've had it.-Extremely thorough and generally accurate descriptions of the disease, the risks, and the available treatments.-Offers realistic strategies for making HG slightly more bearable. I like the idea of getting a really short haircut right at the start--anyone with HG knows the myriad inconveniences of hair at such a time.Cons:-A few pieces of information are out of date, incomplete, or inaccurate. For example, steroids come across as a wonder drug; however, research has shown that they are only rarely effective. They did nothing for me. Of course if you're in the agony of HG they're absolutely worth trying, but they're not a widespread cure. Also, the NG tube I received was NOT the size of a piece of spaghetti; it was more like a garden hose. These aren't major problems with the book, just things that weren't quite right.-The author and many of the contributors had terribly traumatic abortions that they deeply regret and they clearly want to save other women and babies. However, the book mostly ignores the cases when terminating the pregnancy actually is the best thing medically, emotionally, and spiritually. Of course it should be the last resort after all treatments have failed and the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy. And I am horrified that doctors would send women to abortion clinics--it should be done in the hospital and under anesthesia. But in the most extreme circumstances, ending the pregnancy can be lifesaving and justifiable according to every religion and moral system that I know of. It still causes grief and sadness, but it need not cause regret or guilt in such cases. For women who had to undergo such a procedure to preserve life or health, the book sometimes feels painful and judgmental instead of supportive and hopeful.I would recommend this book to anyone who has had HG or currently has it (and is actually able to read a book--I know I couldn't when I had HG!). Loved ones can benefit from skimming the book but may not have patience for the details and all the stories of agony and heartbreaking loss.

I'm a little perturbed that someone would give this book a negative review. But, that's just from my heart as an hg survivor. This book will never be something pleasant or easy to read for anyone. By nature, hg will never be anything less than terrible. With this disease, encouragement is enveloped by the cold, hard reality that life has become a living death. I, personally, would burn any book encouraging abortion in any form to a woman in such a desperate situation. From my experience, the women that I have talked to who have shared this horrible disease and ended up terminating their pregnancy wanted those babies, and were upset at not being told they had options for better care. So, to the negative reviewer, I am sorry this book wasn't all popsicles and daisies, but, this is hg. Even when the endings weren't what they had been hoped to be, I was so touched by the stories of women who shared in my suffering. I loved that this book wasn't just anecdotal but helped explain hg and the options we have to fight it. The more amazing thing, is that there are women who have suffered through, that are connected to this book, who are ready and willing to reach out, creating a support system for the women who contact through the website. In the very least, to read these words, and know that when everyone else around you clearly doesn't understand what you are going through, there are people who do. That is probably one of the greatest gifts an hg-er can be given, having someone understand her, her agony, and that it is not her fault.

I will have to be honest, I did not end up reading a lot of this book, so I cannot give the best review. I ordered it while I was still suffering from HG, but I was one of the women who was fortunate enough to have it end by 20 weeks. My HG ended up subsiding not long after I ordered it, and after I was passed the HG, I really didn't want to read more about it. I ended up not reading very much when I had the HG, because life was so hard and I just didn't want to deal with HG any more than I already had to.The reason why I ordered the book -- and thus gave it three stars -- is because it was REALLY COMFORTING to know I was not alone in my situation. It seemed like some of the people in my life didn't take how bad my "morning" sickness was, and stumbling across this late at night just felt like a relief. I wasn't alone! I wasn't crazy, my morning sickness was worse than usual. It was such a relief. I enjoyed what I did read.However, I really didn't need HG explained to me or made to empathize with it! When I wasn't dealing with HG, before or after 20 weeks, I just didn't want more to do with it. But that's me. Another person might have read it and felt empowered: "if they went through that, which is the same or worse than me, and made it to the other side, I can too!!" I also think this would be an excellent book to recommend to people SURROUNDING a woman with HG -- friends, family, co-workers -- to better help them understand what the woman is going through. A hard copy would also be a great tool for an OBGYN or a midwife to have in office for patients to borrow -- even getting the rights to hand out excerpts for patients to take home to their families to read would be excellent help in getting the sufferer support.I guess that I gave it three stars because it ultimately didn't meet my needs with HG -- I really just needed to read something that helped me mentally escape my situation, not think more about it. But I do think this would be an excellent resource for those in a position to support a HG sufferer to better understand what is going on and what to do.

This fantastic book is exactly what I needed after the rollercoster ride that is hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Anyone who has suffered from this awful disease knows how miserable and debilitating it is, and being told to eat crackers or drink ginger tea DOES NOT HELP! It helped me to understand we are are not alone and that HG is not merely 'bad morning sickness' nor is it 'all in the mind' as one doctor told me!The book covers:What is HG, what causes it and how it is diagnosed - the author speaks very honestly about the 4 times she has battled HG and survived!Treating HG - this covers all the various anti-sickness drugs, steroids, IV hydration, mental health care and parenteral and enteral nutrition.Advocacy - including how to care for someone you know who is suffering from HG and tips for sufferers themselves.Rare Complications - how they are diagnosed and treated.Termination of Pregnancy - a sad outcome for some suffers of severe HG is the termination of much wanted pregnancies. This covers procedures (the author says you do not have to read this chapter if you do not wish to), complications and the emotional fall-out.This is a big book (516 pages) but I could not put it down. It is written from an American perspective so some of the treatments described may not be available to UK readers, but you can easily find the equivalent drug names etc on the internet. The situations the author describes such as being unable to even watch TV without vomiting because of the moving shapes and colours making her nauseous made me think 'at last someone understands'! This book has taught me a great deal about the deficiencies in my care, and when I am brave enough to have another baby I will feel empowered to be my own advocate and speak up for myself more. The book is also packed with the stories of other women's experiences of HG and how they came out the other side. It even has links to HG leaflets you can download and print out to give to people to help them understand what you are going through and how to help you get though what may only be a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things, but which can seem like a lifetime.If you know the misery of HG or know someone else who does then I urge you to buy this amazing book, it is invaluable for all sufferers and you will not regret buying it.

This book is so invaluable to anyone suffering Hypermemsis. I wish I had found it during my first pregnancy in which I suffered with HG for the full 9 months. I'm pregnant with No 2 now and I'm only able to keep the baby as a result of the support I have gained from this book.The only problem, which is a fairly major problem, is that it is entirely american. As I live in England the whole healthcare system is different. For example hospital at home care is very rare in many parts of England and your highly unlikely to find a doctor that will prescribe Ondansatron in a syringe driver pump (or ondansatron in pregancy at all for that matter). and all the stuff about dealing with your HMO is not relevant to me. But the book is still a fantasic help.It is also useful for family members who are caring for you.with the help of this book I have told the doctor exactly which drugs and doses I want to take and that is why i am not currently in hospital and my baby is still growing.

Very very informative if you suffer or have suffered through Hg. This is my holy grail/bible and I take it to every appointment and it helps me navigate my healthcare.

Dieses Buch ist sehr hilfreich,ich habe in meiner fuenften Ss sehr stark an HG gelitten ,und manche Menschen nahmen das nicht ernst .Bin froh das ueberstanden zu haben und dieses Buch hat mir gzeigt ,dass es noch mehr Frauen betrifft und fast alle dengleichen Leidensweg habenSehr gut geschrieben mit med. Hilfestellungen und sehr vielen pers. Erfahrunsberichten